Goodyear Vector 4 Seasons

[Peter a Proud Yorkshireman]

Now delivery is looking a bit more than a possibility I am considering asking the dealer if he is able to swap the summer tyres for these when Yorkie finally arrives.

I know several of our contributors to our excellent forum are running on these and wonder how they are finding them in all conditions.

Being a Yorkshireman I am too tight to buy a set of full winters and would also have storage problems I have run Quatrac 3`s on the Octavia which have been great up and downhill in several inches of snow and ice last winter.

Cheers :beer:

Peter.

[Bobdog]

I'm approaching 21k miles on the original Dunlops Peter. I'm anticipating needing new tyres round about the end of October/beginning of November and thinking on the same lines as yourself. Not sure whether to go for full winters at that stage (and then take these off for summers come the spring) or just to settle for the all season (and if I do that I think the Goodyears will be the choice). Interested to hear what others have to say though, just as you are.

[Peter a Proud Yorkshireman]

Problem is these days Winter can start in mid November and go on till end March.

We have had too fairly harsh winters and might now be due for a mild one.... who knows!

I know there had been very little snow in the 3/4 years up until 2009/10.

In recent years the North East and North Yorkshire moors have copped a lot of snow.

[laur]

My Yeti came with Goodyear tires for summer. I want to buy for my Yeti, allseason tyres: Dunlop Grandtrek ST1 or Vredestein Quatrac 3 on 215 60R16.

Vredestein is more expensive than Dunlop.

I would take Goodyear allseason, but it is too expensive.

[BossFox]

We are running Goodyear Vector 4Season tyres on our Yeti Maffa.

I am very impressed. In the winter they were great on ice and snow, but even through the summer they have performed very well.

All things considered we would 100% put them on again.

As a bonus they have a nice tread pattern that also seems to shift standing water very well.

[Bobdog]

We are running Goodyear Vector 4Season tyres on our Yeti Maffa.

I am very impressed. In the winter they were great on ice and snow, but even through the summer they have performed very well.

All things considered we would 100% put them on again.

As a bonus they have a nice tread pattern that also seems to shift standing water very well.

BossFox; any experience on hills in the snow on the Vectors? (I know there are some small ones in Essex )

[BossFox]

BossFox; any experience on hills in the snow on the Vectors? (I know there are some small ones in Essex )

Not on steep hills, but the car drove everywhere in the snow and ice better than the Range Rover I had at the time on normal tyres. It is this car and tyre combination that convinced me we didn't need a 4x4 as well.

Richard

[Bobdog]

Not on steep hills, but the car drove everywhere in the snow and ice better than the Range Rover I had at the time on normal tyres. It is this car and tyre combination that convinced me we didn't need a 4x4 as well.

Richard

I should have looked more closely at your signature; hadn't realised your Yeti was of the 2wd variety - so presumably 4x4 and these tyres would be even better? I live up a steep and narrow farm track (see picture from last winter). I also drive out to the Alps a couple of times each winter to ski. Looking for the best tyre solution.

[BossFox]

I should have looked more closely at your signature; hadn't realised your Yeti was of the 2wd variety - so presumably 4x4 and these tyres would be even better? I live up a steep and narrow farm track (see picture from last winter). I also drive out to the Alps a couple of times each winter to ski. Looking for the best tyre solution.

Obviously the best would be a set of winters, but there is not a huge difference between these and the Goodyears IMO.

And you have no changing/storage.

On a 4x4 Yeti you'd have to have some pretty bad conditions to beat these I'd have thought.

Baring in mind the Yeti is not heavy like most 4x4s used in bad weather, you have an advantage already when on the same tyres.

[Bobdog]

Obviously the best would be a set of winters, but there is not a huge difference between these and the Goodyears IMO.

And you have no changing/storage.

On a 4x4 Yeti you'd have to have some pretty bad conditions to beat these I'd have thought.

Baring in mind the Yeti is not heavy like most 4x4s used in bad weather, you have an advantage already when on the same tyres.

Thanks, you're very much confirming what I was thinking; decision made I reckon.

[Agerbundsen]

I have no direct experience with the Vector 4 seasons, but.....

They have a very similar thread pattern to my Winter Goodyears.

I have been very happy with those, both in all the designed for winter stuff and on the (past?) annual winter trek to Spain, where they were impressively quiet and responsive on dry, not so cold roads. The same on the wet mountain roads in Andalucia. They dop have a slightly higher slip angle than the sumer tyres, and not quite as crisp cornering as the sumer tyres, but nothing noticeable, unless you are really looking for it.

If I did not already have a set of both winter and summer tyres on alloy wheels, I would seriously consider these as a good alternative.

Edited 5 September, 2011 by Agerbundsen

[EdmundBlackadder]

How have people found wear on the All Season tyres? I reckon I am going to get about 23-24k out of my standard Dunlops. I don't expect to get that from them but I would be interested to hear how the all seasons compare.

[BossFox]

How have people found wear on the All Season tyres? I reckon I am going to get about 23-24k out of my standard Dunlops. I don't expect to get that from them but I would be interested to hear how the all seasons compare.

At one year old our Yeti only has 4,500 miles on the clock. 4000 of those have been done on the Goodyears.

Judging by current wear I'm expecting them to last between 15k and 20k miles. So a bit less than the Dunlops.

[skomaz]

Now delivery is looking a bit more than a possibility I am considering asking the dealer if he is able to swap the summer tyres for these when Yorkie finally arrives.

I know several of our contributors to our excellent forum are running on these and wonder how they are finding them in all conditions.

Being a Yorkshireman I am too tight to buy a set of full winters and would also have storage problems I have run Quatrac 3`s on the Octavia which have been great up and downhill in several inches of snow and ice last winter.

Cheers :beer:

Peter.

If you do swap I'd be interested to know how the Goodyears Vectors and Vredestein Quatracs compare. I'm currently running Vred Sportrac3's on my Cty 4x4 and despite being summer sport biased they have proved very good in the winter snow. However they are coming up for replacement and I'm thinking of the Quatracs or Vectors but prefer a directions tyre so am leaning towards the Vectors. One thing that concerns me though is tyre noise and some of the reports on the aren't that favourable in that regard.

[BossFox]

One thing that concerns me though is tyre noise and some of the reports on the aren't that favourable in that regard.

I find the difference minimal. If fact I wonder if I only noticed because I was listening for any difference knowing I'd changed the tyres.

Does anyone find them noisy?

[wakev]

I find the difference minimal. If fact I wonder if I only noticed because I was listening for any difference knowing I'd changed the tyres.

Does anyone find them noisy?

I have done 3k on the goodyears now and find the are as good as the dunlops in the dry, better in the wet they move water well as bossfox has already said, and I personal find they are no nosier than the dunlops I had on my previous 1.2tsi.

To early to comment on wear yet, but for the winter snow and cold weather (still to try them out on that one)if I have to change them 2-3k sooner than the dunlops it will be worth it, not having to spend out on steel rims and full winter tyres and storing another set of wheels

[AnotherGareth]

There's one aspect to using Vredestein Quatrac 3 tyres that I especially like for my wife's Alfa and our Felicia, that being the spare can fit on either side of the car. I guess the same would apply to Hankook Optimo 4S, although I have no experience of how well they perform.

[skomaz]

I have done 3k on the goodyears now and find the are as good as the dunlops in the dry, better in the wet they move water well as bossfox has already said, and I personal find they are no nosier than the dunlops I had on my previous 1.2tsi.

To early to comment on wear yet, but for the winter snow and cold weather (still to try them out on that one)if I have to change them 2-3k sooner than the dunlops it will be worth it, not having to spend out on steel rims and full winter tyres and storing another set of wheels

Thanks - thats reassuring but what were your OE Dunlops - I had SP01's and they were noisier than my current Sportrac3's.

[skomaz]

There's one aspect to using Vredestein Quatrac 3 tyres that I especially like for my wife's Alfa and our Felicia, that being the spare can fit on either side of the car. I guess the same would apply to Hankook Optimo 4S, although I have no experience of how well they perform.

Good call but in all the years I've had directionals I've never had a puncture... (probably jinxed that now!). Are the Quatracs good at shifting standing water like a directional?

Edited 7 September, 2011 by skomaz

[wakev]

Thanks - thats reassuring but what were your OE Dunlops - I had SP01's and they were noisier than my current Sportrac3's.

The Dunlops on my 1.2tsi where SPO1's, I know my ears have suffered over the years using machinery and the dreaded old age bit, but I found the Dunlops noise level acceptable.

[AnotherGareth]

Are the Quatracs good at shifting standing water like a directional?

Hard to answer that one as if tyres shift enough water you don't know how much more they could handle. So it only really matters when the tread gets low, and who can clearly remember exactly comparable situations 20-30,000 miles apart?

There's so few good quality all season tyres available and, of them, I think only the two I mentioned are bi-directional.

Curiously the times I remember having to use the spare have been with directional tyres - Goodyear F1 GS-D2 and Goodyear Optigrip.

[scouter2]

How have people found wear on the All Season tyres? I reckon I am going to get about 23-24k out of my standard Dunlops. I don't expect to get that from them but I would be interested to hear how the all seasons compare.

Done over 30,000 miles on my Vector 4 Seasons on the Scout, still about 3-4mm but will change them next month. Will go for the same again I think.

[r999]

Are the Quatracs good at shifting standing water like a directional?

Not good at shifting standing water, full stop.

See this test: http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/products/total_tyre_guide/259453/aquaplaning.html

Note that that page is one of many in the test. Also, rather confusingly, the 'Vredestein' which comes second from top in both the aqua tests is the Snowtrac 3, a winter tyre. The tyre called 'All-season' in the tables is the Quatrac, and it's right at the bottom of the performance charts for aquaplaning, far below both summer and winter tyres.

As we have more wet than anything else in the winter, that alone is a compelling reason for me to avoid all-season tyres.

[BossFox]

The tyre called 'All-season' in the tables is the Quatrac, and it's right at the bottom of the performance charts for aquaplaning, far below both summer and winter tyres.

As we have more wet than anything else in the winter, that alone is a compelling reason for me to avoid all-season tyres.

Interesting, but that's one tyre with one tread pattern.

I find the Vector 4Season great at shifting water.

[EdmundBlackadder]

I think with any testing you look at the results and factor in your own experiences and make a judgement from that. I assume the testers push the cars beyond normal driving styles to test the tyres to their limits. Would you as a driver drive like that?

I have driven on a range of tyres, never budget but usually mid range, and have never had "tyre issues". I drive moderately and so as long as the tyre does not bomb completely in a test I would tend to trust the brand and the fact that they would not produce a bad tyre. The Vector All Seasons and Vredestein Quatracs have always been well judged by people on this forum and both are solid manufacturers with good reputations. Clearly you can look at things to the nth degree and it is an individual choice but you can look too deeply into this and make yourself dizzy.